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EIMS Overview |
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What is EIMS?
The Environmental Information Management System (EIMS) houses metadata (data about data) for the various Information Objects (products resulting from scientific study – journal articles, environmental models, data sets, etc.) produced by the EPA (or affiliated groups). As such, this web-based application functions in much the same way as a library's card catalog. Each card in a library's card catalog contains descriptive information (e.g., author, title, publisher, date published, etc.) about an object (e.g., book, journal, etc.) shelved in the library. Likewise, each record in the EIMS application contains metadata that describes an Information Object stored within the EPA network.
Being web-based, the EIMS application allows users anywhere in the world to access the metadata repository 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with nothing more than their web browser. EIMS also enables users to perform searches, download files, and edit records. Due to this ease of access and enhanced functionality, the EPA has designated EIMS as the central means of distributing metadata for environmental information to the public.
Who uses EIMS?
There are essentially two types of EIMS users: Data Entry Person (DEP) users and Librarians. The DEPs, as you might imagine, enter metadata records into the EIMS repository. The Librarians administer the information (e.g., control availability of records, maintain application pick lists, etc.). Both types of users can view records in EIMS if they have the applicable permissions – determined by the Metadata Status and Availability field settings.
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